Reusable, Collapsible Containers

ABSTRACT

The disclosed invention provides a method (or methods) of collapsing specialized containers to permit transporting multiple said containers, when empty, to reduce the costs in returning them to their original location after deliveries of the containers&#39; content has been made. The invention method includes providing containers with hingeably connected sides of a particular configuration to permit collapsing the specialized containers to maximize space savings.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to large volume shipping containers for commercial goods.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is well known, to those acquainted with the particular field, that the shipment of commercial goods between cities in different parts of the country involves considerable, costly time-consuming, transfer work. Goods do not travel in a steady, uninterrupted straight line by a carrier from a shipper directly to a consignee. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,723 to Fred M. Loeber, for example, in the garment industry a small truck makes a pick-up in the congested garment district of New York City. The patent describes a truck, normally that of a specialized carrier, and equipped with rods on which the garments are hung from hangers, as wearing apparel is no longer boxed in shipment. The apparel is counted when loaded. In New Jersey, it is unloaded at a freight depot, where it is then re-loaded on large rod-equipped, interstate vans for long distance haul, such as, for example, to Dallas, Tex. At each transfer of the goods, they are recounted. On the van, they may travel along with goods of other shippers, and there is always a possibility of mixing goods. In Dallas, the same transferring occurs, at the depot, to local specialized trucks, for local delivery, with the same counting and checking of individual pieces. Similar conditions exist in shipments of other industries. This situation is, accordingly, in need of improvement. This patent discloses a method to provide a shipping container, for being filled with goods and then sealed at a shipper's premises, and which then is transported as a single unit, by a carrier, to the consignee, so as to save on record-keeping of the individual content.

The patent further teaches the provision of a shipping container, which is collapsible, and which may be made specialized, so as to eliminate the necessity of making trucks and vans specialized instead. The purpose is the elimination of the unprofitable return of empty, specialized vehicles back to an original starting point, for subsequent trips. In the above-indicated example, the traffic of wearing apparel is generally in one direction, from New York to Dallas, so that the specialized vehicles return to New York empty, at a loss in profits to the carrier. The collapsible, specialized shipping container would permit use of a common carrier, instead of a specialized carrier. One carrier could dispatch a fleet of several vehicles carrying garments from New York to Dallas, and instead of returning empty, all the containers would be collapsed, so as to be all shipped back, in a single vehicle, while the other vehicles are used to carry profitable loads eastward. This single direction traffic exists in numerous other fields, such as western fruit produce for eastern markets, and the like. This patent disclosure, however, fails to teach how such collapsible container may be collapsed to achieve the objects of the invention thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of this prior art disclosure lies in a compression coil spring affixed on the underside of a pad lying beneath the bottom of the shipping container, hence the title “Shipping Container With Coil Spring Supports.” The shipping container is taught to be both “specialized” and “collapsible.” Examples of specialized natures includes internal padding in one instance (FIG. 5 thereof) and clothing hanging rods in another (FIG. 8 thereof). There is, however, no suggestion as to how the shipping container is made “collapsible.” There is only FIG. 3, which teaching shows the four sides of the container laid on top of each other, as in plies resting on the pad, with no disclosure as to how such disclosure was converted from a box with connecting sides, bottom and top to individual plies. In fact, the functioning of the invention relies much more heavily on this very issue, i.e., the ability to “collapse” the box to achieve the object of the invention in achieving savings by the ability to return multiple empty containers by collapsing them to take up less space. Yet there is no teaching how they are collapsed to permit the savings sought to be achieved.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a method (or methods) of collapsing the specialized containers to permit transporting multiple said containers when empty to reduce the costs in returning them to their original location after deliveries of the container content has been made. It is a further object of this invention to provide a method (or methods) of collapsing the specialized containers to maximize space savings.

These, and other objects, will be readily evident, upon a study of the following specification, and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible container in a full open position for containing goods to be shipped.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the right side of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1, showing its hinged middle section for collapsing enablement.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the left side of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1, showing its hinged middle section for collapsing enablement.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the back of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1, showing hinged top and bottom edges, as well as the bottom runners that provide space between which mechanical lift elements, such as a fork lift, may be placed for mobility purposes.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the top of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1, showing hinged edges all around to act with the respective hinged edges of it various sides, in addition to the hinged edge specific to the top itself to permit its opening and closing independent of said various sides.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bottom of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1, showing hinged edges all around to act with the respective hinged edges of its various sides, in addition to showing the bottoms of bottom runners referenced above in FIG. 5

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the top of the collapsible container shown in FIG. 1, showing the top in an open position and the sides in a partial collapsible state.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of FIG. 8 rotated approximately 45° to the right to show a full on view of the open top and partially collapsed sides.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view the collapsible container of FIG. 10 rotated 90° to the left to expose the right side and front of the collapsible container open.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 10 rotated 180° (in either direction) to show the left side top and front of the collapsible container open.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 11 rotated 90° to the right to show the top open and the front with the respective sides in a partially collapsed position.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the collapsible container with both top elements open to expose the interior bottom of said container.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the collapsible container looking from the exterior bottom of the collapsible container of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the collapsible container in its fully collapsed and closed position.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 15 rotated approximately 45° to the right to show fork left entries both at the top and bottom of the container in its fully collapsed and closed position.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 16 rotated 90° to the left exposing its right side in its fully collapsed and closed position.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 17 rotated 180° (in either direction) to expose its left side in its fully collapsed and closed position.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 18 showing it fully collapsed and closed from the back side.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 19 showing it fully collapsed and closed from above looking down at its top.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the collapsible container of FIG. 20 showing it fully collapsed and closed looking up at its bottom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 21 thereof at this time, each drawing shows the entire unit representing a rectangular (equilateral or not) shipping container open to receive goods, according to the present invention, and which comprises a collapsible rectangular box, that includes one or more sides thereof made into a door pivoting about hinges, so that the interior is accessible for placement of any of various goods therewithin. The box may be made in a size suitable for easy handling and related to the goods anticipated for it to contain. The size, however, can be varied over a large range of dimensions, as it is not reliant on its size for its design. It is appreciated that a box measuring ninety inches by ninety inches by eighty-four inches is ideal for typical van and truck transportation. The box may be of any suitable material, so as to be strong and waterproof to extend it “reusable” life. It may be a fiberglass honey-combed material for certain uses. It could be a light weight metal for other uses. More recently developed composite materials are ideal in this application due to their combination of strength and light weight. In its collapsed position, the boxes may be easily stacked for minimal space and weight allowance for optimizing their transportation back to the original manufacturer/shipper for re-use.

It is to be noted, that the shipping container of the present invention may be designed for all carriers, including truck, railroad, airplane and sea vessel. It may be variously exploited, such as by a leasing company to all carriers in the transportation field.

The functionality or operation of the invention collapsible shipping container is disclosed primarily by the sequences of it use in shipping goods to a destination. After emptied the container is collapsed by sequentially moving from a structured container to a fully collapsed position through the series of positions it assumes due to its hinged structure to actually transform itself to assume a flattened position within the same rectangular space but without its internal space by reduction of its height. In such transformed shape and with the loss of the weight of its former contents, it may be easily stacked with a warehouse fork lift to be returned to its origination for re-use. Thus, it thereby provides much savings to those who use it in the transportation of their goods.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as is defined by the appended claims. The embodiment described hereinabove is intended to explain the best mode known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. Further, although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention should not be limited to the described preferred embodiment. Rather, various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims. 

What I claim is:
 1. An improved shipping container, for commercial carrier use, comprising, in combination, a box, an access door on said box for loading and unloading of goods therein, and said box being collapsible by use of a series of hinges along the edges of the various sides, top and bottom that form said box, wherein at least two first sides containing middle hinges bend along a line of said hinges and two opposing second sides move, respectively, upward and downward to allow the movement of said first sides, said box including means of access for fork lift blades to allow the collapsed box to be moved.
 2. The improved shipping container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said container additionally includes fork lift blade access by provision of parallel runners on the bottom side of said improved shipping container.
 3. The improved shipping container as set forth in claim 1, wherein said container additionally includes provision the of an attachment on the approximate center of the top of the improved shipping container thereby creating a horizontal slot adequate for fork lift blade access.
 4. The improved shipping container as set forth in claim 2 that also includes an attachment on the approximate center of the top of the improved shipping container thereby creating a horizontal slot adequate for fork lift blade access.
 5. The improved shipping container as set forth in claim 3 that also includes fork lift blade access by provision of parallel runners on the bottom side of said improved shipping container. 